Tackling Health Inequalities through Public Policy Action: Insights from Canadian Policy Academics, Activists, and Advocates

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dc.contributor.advisorRaphael, Dennis
dc.contributor.authorBorras, Arnel Mercado
dc.date.accessioned2022-12-14T16:23:28Z
dc.date.available2022-12-14T16:23:28Z
dc.date.copyright2022-06-13
dc.date.issued2022-12-14
dc.date.updated2022-12-14T16:23:28Z
dc.degree.disciplineHealth
dc.degree.levelDoctoral
dc.degree.namePhD - Doctor of Philosophy
dc.description.abstractDespite numerous public policy proposals and interventions to address preventable health inequalities, that is, health inequities among and within countries, this societal problem persists. This research addresses how and why health inequities, especially class, race/ethnicity, and gender health inequities, persist in Canada and how to reduce such differences through public policy action. First, I performed a theoretical and critical realist review of existing literature focusing on pluralism, discursive institutionalism, and critical political economy approach to health and policy change. Then I conducted a thematic analysis of the interview data corpus gathered from 23 semi- structured interviews with leading and influential Canadian policy academics, activists, and advocates to address the research questions. Reflexivity also forms part of my methods. The main findings demonstrated that health inequities or the avoidable health inequalities in Canada are primarily caused by 1) the capitalist economic system; 2) the co-constitutives of capitalism, namely colonialism, racism, and sexism; and 3) maldistributive public policies. Health inequities are further sustained by 1) power, interest, and ideology trumping evidence-based research and policy ideas; 2) unequal wealth and power among competing interests and advocacy groups; 3) the dominance of the business and corporate sector in health politics and public policymaking processes; 4) neoliberal governing authorities; and 5) fragmented and weak labour unions, civil society groups, and social movements. Canada’s health inequities reduction efforts necessitate 1) pushing for redistributive public policies; 2) uniting and strengthening labour unions, civil society groups, and social movements; and 3) engaging in electoral politics. The core strategies to realize these health equity goals are the ensemble of information, education, advocacy, organization, and mobilization. Reducing health inequities in general and class, race/ethnicity, and gender health inequities, in particular, may involve struggling within and against capitalism and struggling for socialism. This study may provoke social actions toward emancipatory social change to achieve health justice.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/40636
dc.languageen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectHealth sciences
dc.subjectPublic policy
dc.subjectPublic health
dc.subject.keywordsHealth inequalities
dc.subject.keywordsHealth inequities
dc.subject.keywordsHealth injustice
dc.subject.keywordsHealth equity
dc.subject.keywordsHealth justice
dc.subject.keywordsPublic policy
dc.subject.keywordsHealthy public policy
dc.subject.keywordsPublic health policy
dc.subject.keywordsPolicy change
dc.subject.keywordsPolicy change and health
dc.subject.keywordsHealth politics
dc.subject.keywordsPolitics and health
dc.subject.keywordsPublic health
dc.subject.keywordsCritical political economy
dc.subject.keywordsPolitical economy of health
dc.subject.keywordsInstitutionalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsDiscursive institutionalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsPluralism and health
dc.subject.keywordsNeopluralism
dc.subject.keywordsCorporatism
dc.subject.keywordsCorporate power
dc.subject.keywordsSocial inequalities and health
dc.subject.keywordsSocial inequities and health
dc.subject.keywordsSocial injustice and health
dc.subject.keywordsCapitalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsNeoliberalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsRacism and health
dc.subject.keywordsSexism and health
dc.subject.keywordsPatriarchy and health
dc.subject.keywordsClass and health inequality
dc.subject.keywordsRacial inequality and health
dc.subject.keywordsGender inequality and health
dc.subject.keywordsDiscrimination and health
dc.subject.keywordsClass health inequities
dc.subject.keywordsRacial health inequities
dc.subject.keywordsGender health inequities
dc.subject.keywordsGendered capitalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsRacialized capitalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsGendered and racialized capitalism and health
dc.subject.keywordsIntersectionality and health
dc.subject.keywordsGlobal health
dc.subject.keywordsSocial epidemiology
dc.subject.keywordsEnvironment and health
dc.subject.keywordsEcology and health
dc.subject.keywordsSocial determinants of health
dc.subject.keywordsPoverty and health
dc.subject.keywordsHousing and health
dc.subject.keywordsHealthcare systems
dc.subject.keywordsPower and health inequities
dc.subject.keywordsCompeting interests
dc.subject.keywordsIdeology
dc.subject.keywordsEvidence-based research
dc.subject.keywordsEvidence-based policy
dc.subject.keywordsResearch-informed ideas
dc.subject.keywordsResearch-informed policy
dc.subject.keywordsAdvocacy
dc.subject.keywordsActivism
dc.subject.keywordsSocial movements
dc.subject.keywordsLabour movements
dc.subject.keywordsHealth movements
dc.subject.keywordsUnions and unionization
dc.subject.keywordsCivil society groups
dc.subject.keywordsCommunity
dc.subject.keywordsOrganizing
dc.subject.keywordsMobilizing
dc.subject.keywordsElectoral politics
dc.subject.keywordsEmancipatory social change
dc.subject.keywordsSocial justice
dc.subject.keywordsSocialism
dc.subject.keywordsQualitative research
dc.subject.keywordsQualitative method
dc.subject.keywordsTheoretical review
dc.subject.keywordsCritical realist review
dc.subject.keywordsRealist review
dc.subject.keywordsThematic analysis
dc.subject.keywordsSemi-structured interview
dc.subject.keywordsReflexivity
dc.subject.keywordsCanada
dc.titleTackling Health Inequalities through Public Policy Action: Insights from Canadian Policy Academics, Activists, and Advocates
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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